Potere | Book II ✓

xi | our promise

Austin moves around the far side of the sofa, visibly shaken.  Steven trails behind, like usual, except this time he's uncharacteristically quiet.

"Boss, what should we do?"  Austin waits, but Liam doesn't budge.  He doesn't say a word.  He doesn't even look up.  "Liam, should we—"

"You don't know what to do?"  The tone that laces Dominic's words isn't one I recognize.  He moves past me and approaches the young man.  "I'm sorry, but if you don't know what to do, then not only is this job not for you, but you and your shadow should've cleared the room with the others."

Austin's head jerks up, his eyes narrowing as his attention lands on Dom.  He moves forward, but Steven slaps a hand on his shoulder, temporarily holding him back.  "I'm sorry," Austin's eyes rake over Dominic's figure.  "I know this isn't coming from the person who lost this job."

"I gave it up," Dominic corrects. "There's a difference."

"Austin, seriously," You can see Steven tugging his friend back, trying to diffuse the situation.  His last few words are rushed as Austin slips away from his touch to approach Dom.  "Don't get clobbered."

"I want to support you, but we just watched Faith's mother get executed and you're unsure as to what to do next?"  Dominic pulls himself to his full height as Austin nears him.  "Are you—"

"Are you going to give me advice?" Austin wonders, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  "Should I even take advice from you?  From the same guy who once tried to take this family from his superior?"

Veleno lets out an exasperated breath and moves to stand between the two. He presses one hand against Dom's chest and another against Austin's, preparing to separate them if necessary.  "Let's not do this right now, gentlemen."

"I was doing what I thought was best for the family."  The temperature in the room is on the rise, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm about to pass out, or because of the rising level of testosterone.  "At least I proved that I had a backbone, unlike you, who needs to be given orders every thirty seconds like an untrained dog—"

"Dominic."  Liam's voice silences the group, and his gaze is enough to force Dom back – out of respect, not fear.

With a sigh, Liam looks up at Austin.  "You want to help?" He questions, "Ian Crawford.  Susan's husband, and Faith's adopted father.  I want a group put together and sent to Maryland to check on him.  Now."

My knees buckle.

Veleno rests his hands on my waist and steadies me.

We lock eyes.

Zara's make a sound.  The first noise that's come out of her since that life changing moment.  Her eyes are red, her cheeks stained with tears as they continue to roll down her face.  She's been silently sobbing.  Her shoulders shake as she tries to take a breath in.  "It's all my—" She looks at me.  "—I'm so fucking s—"

Dominic's voice is gentle as he reaches out to her, "Zara..."

Liam uses the handrest of the sofa to help lift himself to his feet.  "Mom, this isn't on you."

But Zara doesn't want to hear it, and I know exactly how she feels.  I know exactly what it's like to convince yourself of something and refuse to believe the words of anyone else as they try and tell you otherwise.

She darts around Dom's arms and ignores her son who reaches out for her.  Carmen jumps out her path as she makes a beeline for the exit.  Vincenzo is our last defense, and we all watch, wide-eyed as he reaches for her.  He grabs her arm and pulls her to him, a conflicted look on his face.